Coming upon a wet meadow in the dry forests of the Western U.S. is similar to finding an oasis in the desert. A unique communtiy of plants and animals depends on the year-round water there. Leopard Lillies (Lilim pardalinum) and Shooting Stars (Primula jeffreyi) both require wet places to grow. Sierra Nevada Blue Butterfly caterpillars (Plebejus podarce) eat Shooting Stars and Hunt's Bumblebee (Bombus huntii) pollinates many different flowers. Sierran Chorus Frogs (Pseudacris sierra), Mountain Garter Snakes (Thamnophis elegans elegans), and Tree Swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) are each both predator and prey in this complex ecosystem.
These California Ecosystem illustrations feature threatened, endangered, or endemic species that highlight some unique aspect of California's incredibly diverse habitats. Each card has a short description of the creatures and relationships printed on the back.
Cards are blank inside and locally printed on 100% cotton paper. They measure 6" x 6" square. Envelopes included. Can be mailed with a single USPS First Class stamp.